Kidd will be the seventh player in franchise history to have his number retired. His will join 3 (Drazen Petrovic), 4 (Wendell Ladner), 23 (John Williamson), 25 (Bill Melchionni), 32 (Julius Erving), and 52 (Buck Williams) in the rafters at the Barclays Center.

Kidd captained the Nets to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003, and played in 506 games over six and a half seasons for the franchise. He averaged 14.6 points, 9.1 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game. Kidd led the Nets to six consecutive playoff appearances, and four Atlantic Division titles. In 78 playoff games, Kidd holds Nets all-time records for points, assists, rebounds, steals, field goals made/attempted, three-point field goals made/attempted, minutes, and games played.

Earlier this summer, an interview Mason Plumlee gave to Bleacher Report led to speculation that the retirement of Kidd’s jersey was imminent:

“I wanted 5. Five is what I wore in college […] I don’t want to spoil it, but I think [the Nets] are going to retire it [for Jason Kidd]. Twenty one was what I was going to wear next and then they were said KG might want 21 (he settled on number 2). Then 00 was taken, so I went with the next number: number 1. ”

When he was hired, there were whispers. Then, Plumlee’s interview acted as the proverbial smoke around the issue. Now, we have full blown fire, as the Nets confirmed that the team will retire Kidd’s number 5. Congratulations to one of the best point guards in league history. This is a well-deserved honor.

Brilliant business by the Nets here, too. Has there ever been a better reason to go to a preseason game?!